Reproduction | Fertilisation and development strategies Flashcards
Fertilization Definition
The process in which an egg cell and a sperm cell combine to form an embryo.
External Fertilization Definition
Fertilization that occurs outside the bodies of the mating individuals, often in an aquatic environment.
Advantages of External Fertilization
- Parents don’t need to be in the same location.
- Requires less energy to find a mate.
- Large number of eggs are produced with little parental care.
Disadvantages of External Fertilization
Lower chance of fertilization due to external environment, wasteful as many eggs may not get fertilized.
Internal Fertilization Definition
Fertilization that occurs inside the body of one of the mating individuals.
Advantages of Internal Fertilization
- Higher chance of fertilization due to close proximity of gametes.
- Less gametes need to be produced as they are closer together.
Disadvantages of Internal Fertilization
Mating individuals need to be in the same location, more effort required to find a mate.
Oviparous Definition
Animals that lay eggs with hard shells outside of the female’s body.
Viviparous Definition
Animals that give birth to live young after nourishing them inside the female’s body.
Ovoviviparous Definition
Animals that have eggs develop inside the female’s body, and the young are born live.
Precocial Definition
Developmental strategy where offspring are born with the ability to move, see, and find food shortly after birth.
Altricial Definition
Developmental strategy where offspring are born helpless, blind, and without fur or feathers, requiring parental care.